Improving Productivity With Photographic Artwork

Appropriately chosen photographic imagery has long been used by advertising agencies to whet the appetites of consumers and spur on sales. Photographic images and other forms of artwork are also often used as therapeutic aids to relax patients in mental health facilities and calm the nerves of restless waiting room occupants. Photography conveys emotion in ways similar to music - it is, in essence, music for the eyes. In the same ways that a stirring ballad can move one to tears, rousing arrangements from John Phillips Suza marches to hymns of the faith to modern day rock and roll can also instill energy and inspire action. So it is with other art forms such as photography. One of the most overlooked and underutilized tools for ratcheting up productivity is the appropriate use of carefully chosen photographic artwork. If you are looking for ways to increase productivity, improve employee morale, and beautify your work environment at very reasonable cost, consider the use of photographic artwork. It is a low-cost, high-impact investment that pays dividends for years.
 
 
Five Steps to Improving Productivity through Artwork
 
1. Simplicity of subject matter. The artwork that best stimulates productivity is comprised of images that convey power and stimulation without resorting to entertainment. In other words, the message of the medium must be sufficiently clear that it is understood immediately. Images that are complex, multi-subject structures will hold the eye too long, as the viewer considers the intricacies on the image, and deconstructs it visually, evaluating the independent elements. Instead, single-subject images with clarity and purpose are most effective. 
 
2. Project power. Subject matter in motivational imagery should not be complicated, and should not contain more than a single word or perhaps two, if it contains text at all. Ideally, the subject is the message. The subject portrayed in a manner that conveys power, action, and passion. The subject may range from a single flower to a soldier in the midst of a battle cry battle to a mountain thrusting itself majestically through the clouds. But the insight and artistry of the photographer is required to capture the subject and convey its essence and its texture powerfully to the viewer. That power and passion may be achieved through the use of color, the positioning of the subject within the frame, or the drama surrounding the event portrayed. (This is often accomplished using motion blurs and similar devices.) Consider the drama portrayed in whitewater rafting images, BMX bicycling images, and other images that reflect power, determination and purpose. 
 
4. Climb with color. Subject matter is the central element of the motivational image, but not the only one. The appropriate use of color helps to inspire and elevate energy levels. Even a single flower bloom, and the spectacular rays of an emerging daybreak across the crystal-blue surface of a lake can provide strong, positive subliminal messages of hope and vibrancy. Like all elements of the photographic artwork, color can be over-blown. The appropriate balance to be struck here is strength and life without garishness and over-manipulation.  But just as black-and-white photography serves to depress the mood and darken the outlook, properly lit color and texture serves to brighten outlooks, and lift spirits.  
 
5. Present perfectly. The final critical element of motivating artwork is presentation. Wide, ornate frames typically distract the viewer's eye from the subject of the image, diluting the drama and energy that would otherwise be conveyed. However, matting often has the opposite effect when it is done well, picking up and amplifying the colors and textures of the subject like a visual megaphone. The presentation is a matter of location, lighting, and housing. For optimal impact on productivity, photographic artwork should be placed where natural breaks in the routine will cause the eye to fall on the artwork in return trips to the place of work. For example, when artwork that is designed to motivate and inspire is hung in foyers and annexes, it should be placed on walls where it will be viewed naturally as employees return to work - not where they will see it as they are leaving for lunch, or at the end of the day. In order to avoid desensitization, it is also useful to display this artwork where it is not in the constant eyeline of the employee, in order to preserve its freshness and extend the life of its impact as a motivator and productivity tool.
 
Photographic Artwork is a Great Business Investment
These five steps will help you capture significant recurring productivity improvement as a result of the powerful subliminal forces of visual artwork. Compelling photographic art is the best way to present the most attractive and uplifting aspects of the real world, and consistently motivate employees. It is a great investment in your business that will pay dividends year after year.